The goal of the proposed Training in Infectious Disease Epidemiology (TIDE) Program is to produce a new generation of leaders in Infectious Disease (ID) epidemiology. UNC's ID Epidemiology program is a new and growing program. It is housed in the Department of Epidemiology, which is one of the premier departments in the world in one of the best Schools of Public Health. Ph.D. students receive rigorous training in epidemiological methods. Because UNC's ID program is one of the largest and strongest in the country, trainees will have copious opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary research. Training will be enriched by collaborations within UNC and with neighboring institutions such as Family Health International (FHI), GSK, the North Carolina State Health Department, and Duke University. The 19 TIDE program mentors comprise leaders in translational research on major human infectious diseases and are PIs of research grants totaling 109 million dollars in annual direct costs, providing trainees with abundant research opportunities. Students would work in one of three Program Areas: (1) Vector-borne Diseases, (2) Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Diseases, and (3) STD/HIV. Trainees in each program area will be co-mentored by one of four senior Epidemiology faculty members (each of whom has mentored >20 PhD students) and one co-mentor who is either a basic scientist, clinical scientist or junior faculty member. This would promote multidisciplinary work as well as junior faculty career development. The applicant pool is large and outstanding;the Department of Epidemiology attracts over 100 applications per year from students who are interested in infectious disease epidemiology. Currently, UNC does not have a training grant for US pre-doctoral students with interests in infectious disease epidemiology, so many of these students go elsewhere or choose other disciplines. Trainees would be awarded fellowships on a competitive basis after successful completion of their first year of graduate school. They would receive up to three additional years of support. Support is requested for three trainees in Year 1, and four each in Years 2-4. In summary, this program would enable excellent students to receive outstanding training and help lead future efforts to understand and combat infectious diseases.
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